My research focuses on the sociology of the climate crisis, particularly on ‘green’ finance within decarbonization projects and the financialization of the crisis for new avenues of capital accumulation amidst the energy transition. My work combines environmental and political sociology with social network analysis to highlight important social and ecological contradictions within states’ decarbonization initiatives, as well as opposition from various economic, political, and social actors to a deeper transition.

I am also involved in policy research related to climate governance, notably as a collaborative researcher with the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques (IRIS, Socioeconomic Research and Information Institute), an independent think tank based in Montreal. I try to bring academic research and climate policy work together – particularly by crossing geographical (and linguistic) barriers in Canada.

Viens, N., Sapinski, J.P., and Laurin-Lamothe, A. (2024). “Decarbonization, hegemonic projects, and the green growth policy-planning network: the case of Québec”, Environmental Sociology, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2024.2387418.

Jorgenson, A., Goh, T., Koop-Monteiro, Y., Shakespear, M., Viens, N., and Gletsu, G. (2024). “Economic growth and income inequality increase the carbon intensity of human well-being for Canada’s provinces”, npj Climate Action, 3, 58, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-024-00144-y.

Viens, N. (2022). “Racing to the last barrel: Linking oil and gas industry interests to climate inaction in Canada”, Energy Research & Social Science, Volume 91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2022.102748.

2024-2028: SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship

2023-2027: UBC Four Year Fellowship

2023-2028: Doctoral Research Scholarship, Fonds de Recherche du Québec Société et Culture (FRQSC)

2023: President’s Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award

2020-2021: Ontario Graduate Scholarship Queen Elizabeth II (OGS/QEII) Scholarship

2020-2021: Master’s Scholarship, Fonds de Recherche du Québec Société et Culture (FRQSC)

2019-2020: Joseph-Armand Bombardier Scholarship, Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

2019-2021: York Graduate Fellowship

2019-2021: York Graduate Scholarship

Teaching Assistantships

SOCI 250: Crime and Society

SOCI 361: Social inequality

SOCI 352: Work and inequality